Question 3 of 6: B1 — Heat generation in a hollow cylinder
Nivaar worked solution (AI-drafted; not reviewed by a licensed engineer)
Notes on this paper
Paper format: National Exams, May 2014 — 04-CHEM-B1 Transport Phenomena; 3 hours, open book. Six problems in three sections (A Fluid Mechanics, B Heat Transfer, C Mass Transfer); candidates attempt one from each section plus a fourth from any section (four of six marked, 25 marks each). The worked solutions below cover all six problems. A summary of the conservation equations (continuity, Navier–Stokes, energy, species) is provided as Appendix A in the paper and is used throughout.
Reference texts: R. S. Brodkey & H. C. Hershey, Transport Phenomena — A Unified Approach (McGraw-Hill) — the paper’s own reference and source of the appended conservation-equation tables; R. B. Bird, W. E. Stewart & E. N. Lightfoot, Transport Phenomena (2nd ed., Wiley) — equations of change and the differential momentum / energy / species balances; J. R. Welty, C. E. Wicks, R. E. Wilson & G. L. Rorrer, Fundamentals of Momentum, Heat and Mass Transfer (Wiley) — differential balances and diffusion with reaction; F. P. Incropera & D. P. DeWitt, Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer (Wiley) — conduction with generation, composite walls, combined convection–radiation.
Question 3: B1 — Heat generation in a hollow cylinder
Given. Volumetric generation set by $2000$ W per metre of length; inner surface ($R_1=0.02$ m) insulated; outer surface ($R_2=0.04$ m) convecting to $T_\infty=25^\circ\text{C}$.
Find. (a) the radial temperature profile; (b) the maximum temperature and where it occurs.
Fig. B1: Hollow cylinder with uniform internal generation. The inner surface is insulated ($dT/dr=0$ at $R_1$), so all heat flows outward and leaves the outer surface by convection; the temperature therefore peaks at the inner wall.
Part (a) — temperature profile
The printed symbol $\dot q'''$ in the required expression is the volumetric generation rate (W m$^{-3}$) — the “W/m” on the figure label is the per-length load stated in the text — and below we write it simply as $\dot q$. We first tie it to the stated 2000 W per length, then integrate the cylindrical energy equation.
Relate volumetric generation to the given line load. With uniform generation $\dot q$ over the annular cross-section, $\dot q'=\dot q\,\pi(R_2^2-R_1^2)$, so $$\dot q=\frac{\dot q'}{\pi(R_2^2-R_1^2)}=\frac{2000}{\pi(0.04^2-0.02^2)}=5.305\times10^{5}\ \text{W}\,\text{m}^{-3}.$$
Reduce the energy equation. Steady, radial conduction with generation (Table A.3, cylindrical) gives $\dfrac{1}{r}\dfrac{d}{dr}\!\left(r\dfrac{dT}{dr}\right)+\dfrac{\dot q}{k}=0$, i.e. $\dfrac{d}{dr}\!\left(r\dfrac{dT}{dr}\right)=-\dfrac{\dot q}{k}r.$
Integrate once and apply the insulated inner wall. $r\dfrac{dT}{dr}=-\dfrac{\dot q}{2k}r^2+C_1$. The insulated boundary $dT/dr=0$ at $r=R_1$ fixes $C_1=\dfrac{\dot q}{2k}R_1^2$, so $$\frac{dT}{dr}=\frac{\dot q}{2k}\left(\frac{R_1^2}{r}-r\right).$$
Outer-surface energy balance sets the second constant. All generated heat crosses the outer surface: $\dot q'=h(2\pi R_2)\big(T(R_2)-T_\infty\big)$, giving $$T(R_2)=T_\infty+\frac{\dot q(R_2^2-R_1^2)}{2hR_2}.$$ Imposing this on the integrated profile and grouping the constants yields $$T(r)=\frac{\dot q}{2}\left[\frac{1}{k}\left(R_1^2\ln\frac{r}{R_2}+\frac{R_2^2-r^2}{2}\right)-\frac{1}{h}\left(\frac{R_1^2}{R_2}-R_2\right)\right]+T_\infty,$$ exactly the required expression. $\boxed{\,T(r)=\dfrac{\dot q}{2}\Big[\tfrac{1}{k}\big(R_1^2\ln\tfrac{r}{R_2}+\tfrac{R_2^2-r^2}{2}\big)-\tfrac{1}{h}\big(\tfrac{R_1^2}{R_2}-R_2\big)\Big]+T_\infty\,}$
Part (b) — maximum temperature
Locate the maximum. From step 3, $dT/dr=\dfrac{\dot q}{2k}\big(R_1^2/r-r\big)$, which is zero at $r=R_1$ and negative for $r>R_1$. Temperature therefore decreases monotonically outward, so the maximum sits at the insulated inner wall, $r=R_1$.
Evaluate the outer-surface temperature first. $T(R_2)=25+\dfrac{(5.305\times10^{5})(0.0012)}{2(75)(0.04)}=25+106.1=131.1^\circ\text{C}.$
Evaluate at $r=R_1$. Using the profile, $$T_{max}=T(R_1)=\frac{\dot q}{2k}\left[R_1^2\ln\frac{R_1}{R_2}+\frac{R_2^2-R_1^2}{2}\right]+T(R_2).$$ With $\dot q/2k=2.210\times10^{5}$, $R_1^2\ln(0.5)=-2.773\times10^{-4}$ and $(R_2^2-R_1^2)/2=6.0\times10^{-4}$, the bracket is $3.227\times10^{-4}$, giving $71.3^\circ\text{C}$ above the outer surface: $$T_{max}=71.3+131.1=\boxed{202.4^\circ\text{C}}\quad(\text{at }r=R_1).$$